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downtown EXPERIENCE CHRISTMAS DOWNTOWN
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starting November 26 downtownkamloops.com
starting November 26 November 12, 2015
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Adopting awareness and celebrating children What do I have in common with Mother Teresa, Sarah McLachlan the Adoptive Families Association of BC, to increase the number and Marilyn Monroe? I try to be a humanitarian, write lyrics and of approved adoption homes for children in care. The Association, dress like a sex symbol but no, that’s not the answer. What we have which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is contracted to proin common is that we are all adopted. vide both pre- and post-adoptive support to children and adoptive November is Adoption Awareness Month, a time to honour adoptive families across BC. They are looking at the many faces of family families and create awareness for adoption in Canada. This month is composition and are removing barriers of discrimination against a special opportunity to celebrate, promote, educate, advocate for and single parents, interracial and gay couples to broaden the scope of create dialogue about adoption. It is a chance to raise awareness for approved, capable and committed loving homes to raise a family. the over 1,000 children in government care in BC who are waiting for Adoption deepens our connectedness to the global community and their forever families and a time to recognize the many families cre- widens our limited vision of the actual scope of what constitutes ated through adoption. love, ties and family. By adopting, we Every child needs and deserves a become a family by choice, provfamily and loving, nurturing, pering that biology is the least of what makes a parent. It is our manent home to call their own. Adoption is a terrific way to inherent ability to love and build a family, as many BC parexpress limitless compassion ents can attest to. It is a rewardthat allows humanity the recing and positive experience ognition that every child is that can create a better life for a gift and deserves a loving both parents and children and home and family. build the necessary foundation My own dad was not my for generations to come. Chilbiological father but he adoptdren of all ages and backgrounds ed me at birth and gave me his need a base to build their lives on. name, his support and unconHaving that base helps in healthy ditional love without question or development and creates a sense of selfhesitation. He was not responsible for worth and belonging. Children get that base bringing me into this world but he gave from a permanent family who cares for them. my life a sense of belonging. He has always been larger than life in my eyes and my hero in In the rare case where they can’t return home, a child begins the process that will hopefully end with so many ways because even though I looked difthem finding stability through adoption. ferent than the rest of the family and was obviously There are close to 1,300 children and youth in the of First Nations decent, it was never an issue at home. permanent care of the ministry who are available for He gave me pride and confidence to go out and make my adoption. Their needs are varied: some are school-aged or way in this world, secure in the knowledge that his support, in their teens, others are part of a sibling group who need to protection and love were with me always. be placed together. Many have special placement needs due to a We all have great expectations of what we want for our lives developmental delay or difficult early childhood experience. Each but sometimes life makes other plans while we are not looking and year, about 300 of these children and youth find permanent families. there is no shame in choosing to give a child up for adoption. We do We can do better. so for the betterment of the child, no matter what the circumstances The ministry works closely with community partners, including - continued on page 2